Something is going wrong with China's plan to build
millions of new low-income homes. It's called the internet,
and it's making it easy for the general public to recognize that
the program is half-baked.

Last week Hu Jintao met with a low-income tenant during a CCTV
special. Soon bloggers discovered that the tenant, Guo Chunping,
is a middle class woman who obviously earns more than the
$88/month low-income threshold, according to
Shanghaiist.

Moreover, she lives somewhere else and rents out her subsidized
apartment on the red hot private market.

Here's the awkward conversation that Chinese censors are trying
to bury (translated by
Shanghaiist):

Hu: When did you move in?

Guo: I've moved in over half a month now.

Hu: Oh, half a month, I see. How big is this apartment?

Guo: It's 45 square metres in all.

Hu: 45, huh. Two rooms?

Guo: Yes, two rooms.

Hu: How much rent are you paying for this apartment?

Guo: I pay RMB77 each month.

Hu: RMB77 each month -- are you able to cope with the rent?

Guo: Yes. Secretary-General, I just wanted to say a big thank you
to the party and the government. We are so touched to have been
given this fabulous apartment to live in!

Hu: The party and the government are very concerned with the
people's daily livelihoods. We've taken up a series of measures
to further improve your daily lives. Well, we're so happy to see
that your lives have been improved here!

Guo: Thank you! Thank you! Our country is really improving day by
day. We never dreamed we would be living in such an apartment
some day.